I agree with Sinnick on the need for independents. Even formerly credible individuals seem to lose it when they get elected and become part of their respective party machines. None of the main parties retain much credibility these days anyway. I certainly think there's a dearth of what I'd consider to be statesmen (or stateswomen) in the current UK political landscape; just a bunch of self-important intellectually lightweight (obviously excluding Eric Pickles in the lightweight category) career politico jerk-offs programmed to parrot party rhetoric.

Someone needs an intervention. Now I accept a man needs a hobby and I try not to judge be it having a pet rock, civil war reconstruction or canvassing for the the Labour Party. But FFS where will all this end, when you're Welsh Secretary? Get a grip man.

He's already made a serious mistake that'll come back and haunt him: Huhne only lied about a traffic offence, JoF quoted from Miranda !

NWF: thinking this through a little more, if we had perhaps 20 independents, the Government would have to think through their actions just a little more to get a majority. A hung parliament would be a step closer to true democracy, rather than this current pathetic illusion of democracy.